Phone-Free Schools in Portland: PPS Cell Phone Policy
Portland Public Schools serves about 44,000 students in Portland, Oregon. Oregon’s executive order on phones (Executive Order 25-09) has been in effect since October 31, 2025.
- Location
- Portland, Oregon
- Multnomah County
- Enrollment
- About 44,000 students
- Portland area
Portland Public Schools, the largest school district in Oregon, is a public school district headquartered in Portland, Oregon (Multnomah County), serving approximately 44,000 students across the Portland area. Like every district in Oregon, its cell phone rules are shaped by state law — and by how well the policy is actually enforced on each campus.
Does PPS ban cell phones?
Yes — by gubernatorial directive. Executive Order 25-09 (2025) directs every Oregon district to adopt a phone-free policy.
For the full statute, scope, effective date, and primary sources, see our guide to Oregon's phone-free school executive order, part of our phone-free school laws by state directory.
Enforcing a phone-free day across Portland
An executive order binds administratively but is not a statute, so the district should put working enforcement in place that survives a change in framework.
Three enforcement models districts choose from
- Physical pouches (e.g., Yondr): a per-student cost that recurs as pouches are lost or damaged, plus daily hand-out and unlocking at every campus.
- District storage (lockers, caddies, classroom bins): low hardware cost, but it relies on staff to police compliance period after period.
- Device-level software (such as LockedIn): locks the phone students already carry during school hours, with no pouches to hand out.
LockedIn, which publishes this page, makes software that locks students' own phones during the school day, with an admin dashboard and no pouches or hardware. Where a state requires phones to be stored away from students, it works alongside that storage rather than replacing it. Compare the options in our phone-free school solutions comparison or the LockedIn vs. Yondr breakdown, and model the math with our pouch-vs-software cost calculator.
What PPS schools can do next
Draft a policy with our free phone-free school policy generator, or contact our team for a quote. Title I schools in Oregon may also qualify for subsidized access.
Explore other Oregon school districts or browse phone-free school coverage by district.
Frequently asked questions
Does PPS have a cell phone ban?
Yes — by gubernatorial directive. Executive Order 25-09 (2025) directs every Oregon district to adopt a phone-free policy.
What is Oregon's school cell phone law?
Oregon's Executive Order 25-09 requires every school district to ban student phone use from the start to the end of regular instructional hours. Policies were due Oct 31, 2025 and had to take effect by Jan 1, 2026. See our full Oregon guide for the statute, scope, effective date, and exceptions.
How can Portland-area schools enforce a phone-free day?
Schools generally choose physical pouches (like Yondr), district-managed storage, or device-level software like LockedIn that locks the phone students already carry during school hours. Each district picks the method; check PPS's student handbook for the one it uses.
How much does LockedIn cost for a district like PPS?
LockedIn is priced per student, per year, and quoted per school or district based on enrollment and rollout — there are no pouches or hardware to buy and no per-unit replacement costs. Contact us for a written quote and a side-by-side comparison against a pouch program. Qualifying Title I schools may receive subsidized or fully covered access.